'Santa Baby, forgot to mention one little thing a STATE RING'

With a rainbow above and a cheering crowd behind, Niceville High School’s football team left Thursday morning for the 7A state championship game in Orlando.

KATIE TAMMEN / Daily News

NICEVILLE — With a rainbow above and a cheering crowd behind, Niceville High School’s football team left Thursday morning for the 7A state championship game in Orlando.

Students, parents, alumni and other fans lined both sides of the road holding signs, waving and offering cheers while Niceville Fire department sprayed water into the sky as two buses took the team to find its pot of gold.

“You can’t beat small-town football, you just can’t,” said Grant McJunkin, whose son Connor is an Eagles offensive lineman.

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The team already had loaded onto the buses by the time most of the fans arrived, but the players’ parents said they were excited and ready to go.

“You didn’t have to tell them twice (to get up),” McJunkin said. “They had the drum line playing on YouTube in their houses.”

In addition to the handmade signs — including one that said, “Santa Baby, forgot to mention one little thing a STATE RING” — nearby Accent Signs provided custom football helmet signs, flying Ns and signs with quotes from former Niceville player Taylor Haugen.

“I hope they all end up (at the game), that’s the goal,” Greg Pope said as he handed the signs to passersby.

It’s the second time in four years the community has cheered the team on in a championship game against Dwyer High School. Hopes are high for the players, who have played together for years.

“He’s living his dream right now,” Scott Musser said of his cornerback son, Alec. “They knew it right from the start when they were freshmen.”